Teaching Reading and Composition

Reading and Composition (R&C), in all of the many teaching units in which it is offered, presents complex challenges for instructor and student alike. The learning objectives for an R&C course force several sophisticated processes to the fore simultaneously: reading actively and critically; working through an interrelated set of questions about texts, art works, films, and other kinds of primary works; covering a lot of reading in a limited amount of time; processing all these new thoughts through class discussion and journaling about the readings; and, of course, composing drafts, substantively revising, and polishing formal essays.

R&C is also one of a very few teaching appointments in which GSIs may have responsibility for the design of the course as well as the learning activities and grading. Recognizing the complexity of the courses and the degree of responsibility the GSIs take on, this section of the Teaching Guide analyzes several aspects of R&C and offers some suggestions for designing and teaching them.